All-male asparagus hybrid NJ 854

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct all-male  asparagus  ( Asparagus officinalis ) hybrid denoted ‘NJ 854’ was developed through extensive breeding and selection.  Asparagus  hybrid ‘NJ 854’ has many desirable traits including vigorous plant growth, high yield, good resistance to rust ( Puccinia asparagi ) and good field tolerance to  asparagus  root rot ( Fusarium oxysporum ) and  asparagus  crown rot ( Fusarium moniliforme ). The plants and plant parts of ‘NJ 854’ are described as well as the hybrid  asparagus  seeds and plants produced by crossing  asparagus  plant ‘NJ 854’ with another  asparagus  plant.

Latin name of the genus and species: The Latin name is Asparagusofficinalis.

Variety denomination: The varietal denomination is ‘NJ 854’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

For an asparagus plant to be commercially viable and profitable, goodyield is essential. It is well known that asparagus is susceptible to anumber of diseases. Among the most devastating are rust caused byPuccinia asparagi d.c., (Kahn et al. 1952), crown and root rot caused byFusarium oxysporum and crown rot caused by Fusarium moniliforme(Johnston et al., 1979; Guerrero et al., 1999). Of course, the presenceof these diseases aversely impacts the yields and therefore theprofitability of the product. Accordingly, resistance to these diseasesis essential.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention herein described relates to a new and distinct maleasparagus hybrid, which we have developed as an elite hybrid with manycharacteristics desired by growers and consumers. It is distinguishedparticularly as to its highly desirable traits of vigorous growth habit,high yield, resistance to rust (Puccinia asparagi), and good fieldtolerance to root and crown rot caused by Fusarium oxysporum andFusarium mondiforme respectively, as compared to its progenies.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE DRAWINGS

Yield of asparagus may vary significantly among genotypes. In testscarried out in New Jersey, hybrid ‘NJ 854’ has produced high yieldcomparable to Jersey Giant (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 5,551) and Jersey Knight(U.S. Plant Pat. No. 6,624), two of the leading asparagus cultivarsgrown throughout the world. Resistance of rust and tolerance to crownand root rot found in ‘NJ 854’ will allow growers to plant ‘NJ 854’where rust and Fusarium now prevent profitable culture of susceptiblevarieties. The following table shows that in yield the progenies of ‘NJ854’ compare very favorably to Jersey Giant and Jersey Knight.

TABLE 1 Crosses Name Yield, lb/a NJ56 × NJ22-34 ‘NJ854’ 4881 G27 (U.S.Plant Pat. No. Not named 4424 6,168) × NJ22-34 NJ277c (U.S. Plant Pat.Not named 4215 No. 6,622) × NJ22-34 G27 × NJ22-8 (U.S. Plant Jersey Gem(U.S. PLANT 3673 Pat. No. 5,549) Pat. No. 6,970) NJ362m (U.S. Plant Pat.Not named 3645 No. 6,967) × NJ22-34 NJ56 × NJ22-8 Jersey Giant 3595NJ277c × NJ22-8 Jersey Knight 3278 NJ362m × NJ22-8 Jersey General (U.S.PLANT 3155 Pat. No. 6,965)

The color notations in our Data Summary have been selected by us fromobservations as compared with the Munsell Limit Color Cascade. It shouldbe mentioned that foliage color of asparagus could be affected by manyfactors including plant nutrition, temperature, humidity and the densityof growth. Furthermore, the coloration is not considered to be adistinguishing feature of this new variety.

FIG. 1 shows in color a typical stalk of a ‘NJ 854’ asparagus plant asit appears in a field under normal conditions.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

An extensive program of asparagus plant improvement, carried out by usin the vicinity of Bridgeton, N.J. and New Brunswick, N.J., has resultedin the development of the asparagus hybrid ‘NJ 854’ with many desirabletraits.

Asparagus (Asparagus officinalis linn.) is a dioecious species withindividual plants being either male or female in sex. In addition todifferences in morphology, “cultivars” may also differ in localadaptation, yield, disease resistance, and longevity. Desirablecultivars are developed by the crossing of appropriate elite male andfemale asparagus plants. Both male and female parents transmit traitssuch as disease resistance, yield, and spear morphology to theirprogenies. This invention relates to a new and distinct asparagus hybridand its clones designated as ‘NJ 854’. Plant ‘NJ 854’ possesses severaldesirable traits including vigorous growth habit, higher yield,resistance to rust (Puccinia asparagi) good field tolerance to root andcrown rot (Fusarium oxysporum) and (Fusarium mondiforme). ‘NJ 854’ isproduced by crossing female asparagus plant ‘NJ56’ U.S. Plant Pat. No.5,652 and homozygous male asparagus plant ‘NJ 22-34’ (Unpatented). Theasparagus hybrid ‘NJ 854’ is male.

Asparagus can be clonally propagated by crown division. The crown is thestructure where shoots and roots join together. Division or separationat the crown area will allow the propagation of asparagus. We have shownthat ‘NJ 854’ hybrid plants propagated by crown division have similarmorphological appearance and possess the same desirable characteristicsas the original ‘NJ 854’ The instant plant reproduces true to type insuccessive generations of asexual reproduction. Asexual reproduction wascarried out at New Brunswick, N.J.

Asparagus can also be clonally propagated by tissue culture. Anasparagus shoot tip or meristem when cultured on appropriate nutrientmedium and appropriate conditions can grow, develop, and regenerate intoa plant. Also, an asparagus plant part such as a spear segment whencultured on appropriate nutrient medium and appropriate conditions cangrow, develop, and regenerate into an asparagus plant. Such a plant canbe efficiently divided and multiplied in appropriate nutrient medium.When propagated by such tissue culture, the ‘NJ 854’ progeny retains thesame desirable characteristics as the original ‘NJ 854’.

When crossed with different female plants, asparagus ‘NJ 854’ cantransmit many of its desirable traits including vigorous growth habit,higher yield, resistance to rust (Puccinia asparagi) good fieldtolerance to root and crown rot (Fusarium oxysporum and Fusariummondiforme) to its progenies.

BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Morphological data has been accumulated that distinguishes asparagusplant ‘NJ 854’ from other asparagus varieties that has been internallydeveloped, as well as asparagus plants that are known and availablecommercially in the markets.

The data (averages from 3 clones) are assembled from five year oldplants located at Rutgers Research and Extension Center in Bridgeton,N.J. The plants are described in the following table:

TABLE 2 ASPARAGUS PLANT: ‘NJ 854’ Stalk data: Number of nodes belowfirst branch: 28.3. Distance from crown to first branch: 60.2 cm. Numberof branches: 46. Color of ferns on branches: 22-13 Distance betweenfirst and last branch: 122.08 cm. Internode length between branches 2.65cm. Number of cladophyll nodes beyond last branch: 34. Length beyondlast branch: 21.25 cm. Largest stalk diameter: 15 mm. Mean diameter ofthree largest stalks: 14.3 mm. Number of stalks: 29. Highest headedstalk: 45.63 cm. Mature stalks color, bloom removed: Color No. 20-10.5.*Flower data: Typical number per cluster: 2 Tepals - 6 per flower Apexouter surface margin Color No. 26-3.* Apex inner surface margin ColorNo. 25-3.* Apex outer surface middle (vertical) area Color No. 24-7.*Apex outer surface middle (vertical) area Color No. 26-3.* Base outersurface margin Color No. 24-8* Base inner surface margin Color No. 24-8*Base outer surface middle (vertical) Color No. 19-9* Base outer surfacemiddle (vertical) Color No. 19-8* Shape - elliptic, average 6.2 mm long,2.6 mm wide at mid-point, slightly wider towards apex, fused in lowerthird into a tubular corolla, imbricate in bud; apex obtuse; basecuneate; margin entire. Flower length: 6.2 mm. Flower width at midpoint:2.6 mm. Pedicel: filiform; length - 6 mm; no bract Cladophyll data:Number per node: 5.5. Shape: linear filiform, needle-like; apex acute;base - cuneate; margin - entire; Color - 19-13 throughout Length: 15.05mm. Width: 0.037 mm. Leaves: Main stem leaves scalelike, triangular,average 12 mm long, 11.5 mm wide at base, membranacous; apex acuminate;base truncate; margin erose, hyaline. Color: 28.11 abaxial; 28-10adaxial. Terminal branch leaves scalelike, triangular, average 4 mmlong, 2 mm wide at base, membranacous; apex acuminate; base truncate;margin erose, hyaline. Color 28.11 abaxial and 28-10 adaxialReproductive organs: Stamens - 6 in number, each stamen fused to middleof inner side of a tepal Filaments - filiform, straight, slightly widerat base 4.5 mm long; Anthers elliptic, longitudinally dehiscent,introrse to slightly latorose, base sagittate, apex obtuse, with smallacuminate tip.

1. A new and distinct all-male asparagus hybrid plant named ‘NJ 854’ asherein shown and described.